E-cigarettes generate toxic chemicals similar to those found in tobacco and may harm the lungs and immune system, new research suggests.
The findings, from a study of mice, indicate that "vaping" is far from being a safe alternative to smoking tobacco.
In the experiments, mice exposed to e-cigarette fumes suffered mild damage to their lungs and became far more susceptible to respiratory infections.
Their immune responses to both viruses and bacteria were weakened by such an extent that some animals died.
Scientists also found that e-cigarette vapour contained "free radical" toxins similar to those found in cigarette smoke and air pollution.
Free radicals are highly reactive molecules that can damage DNA and cell membranes.
Professor Shyam Biswai, from Johns Hopkins University in the US, who led the research published in the online journal Public Library of Science ONE, said: "Our findings suggest that e-cigarettes are not neutral in terms of the effects on the lungs.
"We have observed that they increase the susceptibility to respiratory infections in the mouse models. This warrants further study in susceptible individuals, such as COPD (chronic obstructive pulmonary disorder) patients who have switched from cigarettes to e-cigarettes, or to new users of e-cigarettes who may have never used cigarettes."
Co-author Dr Thomas Sussan, also from Johns Hopkins, said: "E-cigarette vapour alone produced mild effects on the lungs, including inflammation and protein damage.
"However, when this exposure was followed by a bacterial or viral infection, the harmful effects of e-cigarette exposure became even more pronounced.
